The present invention relates to U-shaped bumper guards and systems, more particularly to concrete imbedded U-shaped bumper guard for fueling stations, parking areas, and other vehicular areas and methods of installing and reinstalling such guards.
A vast variety of post footing designs have existed since the Roman Empire invention of concrete about 1800 years ago. Today, post footing designs are about the same as then, i.e. a rock bed of various sized layered stone is established, a post is set upright on the bed surface, concrete is poured to a predetermined roadway or foundation height. The concrete binds to the post during curing thus locking the post upright in the concrete foundation. Some posts are provided with flanges, vertical ribs, spiral ribs, horizontal plates, or other features designed to aid in holding the post upright, enhancing the concrete to metal or concrete-to-wood bond, or resisting the loosening or movement of the post after installation due to thermal expansion and contraction.
Although these systems work satisfactory for a permanent post installation, a problem exists in the event the post is damaged or otherwise needs replacement by a new or replacement post of the same or different horizontal cross section size and shape.
For example, if a concrete mounted post is damaged, the present conventional practice includes using diamond circular saws to cut into the concrete a closed groove, commonly in a square shape, about the post location. Jack hammers or manual sledges are used to break-up the concrete within the groove loci. The post and broken concrete parts are removed. The resulting hole is cleaned and bedrock adjusted or augmented as necessary. Then, a new concrete setting is mixed, the new post positioned, measured and aligned with the post installed upright with temporary supports holding the post aright. Then the new concrete is poured and top surface smoothed. In addition, the new concrete material must be tended by the installer, particularly on hot summer days, to water as necessary so that the concrete does not dry too quickly. Good practice includes covering the surface of the setting concrete to retard this drying process. Usually, the installer must return the following day to remove support forms and coverings. This process is grossly consuming in person power, time, materials, and tools. In the event the post is damaged again, the entire process must be repeated, and it is well known that posts are frequently damaged in areas where vehicles maneuver such as above and below ground parking lots, gas stations, industrial fueling stations, etc. In the case of gas stations, the U-shaped concrete imbedded bumper guards are particularly troublesome because each bumper guard includes two legs that must be reinstalled in the manner described.
The present invention has as its main objective the provision of a system that avoids all the aforementioned problems and that provides for the quick, efficient installation and reinstallation of U-shaped bumper guards without the need to cut and break-up concrete.
One exemplary embodiment according to the principles of the present invention includes securing tubular base members positioned upright in the concrete foundation layering, applying liner within each base member, positioning one leg of the U-shaped guard into each base, and pouring concrete or the like into the liner and in adhering contact with the leg outer surface. The liner prevents adherence between the concrete and the inner surface if the base member. Once the concrete within the base sets, the installation is complete. It will be understood that the liner prevents the base concrete from binding to the base inner side walls.
After installation, if the bumper guard is damaged or needs replacement, a single person can simply raise the post footing and the small amount of base concrete adhering to the legs. Advantageously, the damaged upper part of the leg can be cut-away at a point, E.G., one foot above the support to enable better handling of the post footing. The liner will exit along with the base concrete. The foundation concrete remains undisturbed.
Since the base remains undamaged and remains installed in the foundation concrete, reinstallation of a new post simply involves the following;
1. install a new replacement liner,
2. install a replacement guard leg in each liner and base which has not moved,
3. mix and pour new base concrete into each liner/base.